Washington National Opera announces its exit from Kennedy Centre after Trump's takeover

The Washington National Opera (WNO) announced on Friday that it is moving its performances out of the John F Kennedy Centre, weeks after the institution changed its name to include US President Donald Trump. The move is significant since the Kennedy Centre has been home to WNO since it first opened in 1971.

“Today, the Washington National Opera announced its decision to seek an amicable early termination of its affiliation agreement with the Kennedy Centre and resume operations as a fully independent nonprofit entity,” the opera said in a statement to the New York Times. A separate website appears to be set up for the opera.

WNO’s leadership indicated that the alternative venues within Washington, DC, have been identified, though no leases have been finalised as of now. The announcement came at a time when several artists had cancelled their Kennedy Centre performances in response to Trump’s takeover of the institution.

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In March last year, Hamilton producer Jeffrey Seller wrote in a social media post that “our show simply cannot, in conscience, participate and be a part of this new culture that is being imposed on the Kennedy Centre”. Meanwhile, actor and producer Issa Rae, Grammy-winning musician Rhiannon Giddens, Peter Wolf and rock band Low Cut Connie all called off Kennedy Centre performances, too.

Was the name change the reason?

Many have strongly reacted to Trump putting himself in charge of the institution as well. Television producer and screenwriter Shonda Rhimes resigned from the centre’s board of trustees in February as soprano and actor Renée Fleming and singer and songwriter Ben Folds stepped down as artistic advisers.

In November last year, Francesca Zambello, WNO’s artistic director, said that the move was a possibility as a result of the “takeover” of the centre by Donald Trump. In February 2025, Trump declared himself the chair of the institution and quickly thereafter fired and replaced its board and leadership.

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At that time, Zambello also cited the collapse in box office revenue and “shattered” donor confidence as some of the reasons behind the move. Ticket sales were about 40% unsold compared with before Trump declared himself the chair, said Zambello. Many people have decided to boycott the centre. She mentioned how, every day, she receives messages of protest from formerly loyal members of the audience.